Easy Homemade Grain Free Granola Recipe (Low Carb)

Why You’ll Love This Easy Grain-Free Granola Recipe

This is the yummiest granola I HAVE EVER HAD. It is made from just nuts and seeds, tossed in coconut oil and a little bit of maple syrup, and roasted low and slow until it is perfectly golden brown.

No oats in this granola! I don’t miss the oats at all. It’s everything I love about my homemade traditional granola with a fraction of the carbs and tons of protein and healthy fats. The healthiest of indulgent treats that perfectly aligns with my macro goals (9 grams of protein per ¼ cup!

It has a touch of sweetness from pure maple syrup to make it sweet. It’s a very small amount that gives it the perfect amount of sweetness but still keeps it low carb. You could use a zero-carb sweetener like monkfruit, but it won’t stick together as well. The sticky maple syrup helps a ton with that. I add this to Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt that I’ve sweetened with vanilla protein powder. So no need for the granola to be overly sweet.

Serve it for breakfast with my kale coconut smoothie or an afternoon pick-me-up with a pumpkin spice latte for a fun seasonal treat. You really can’t go wrong!

• raw sliced almonds: Almonds provide a crunchy texture, healthy fats, fiber, and plant-based protein. 
• raw, unsweetened coconut chips: Coconut chips add a slight natural sweetness and rich coconut flavor to the granola.
• raw pecans: Pecans bring a buttery texture and flavor to the granola, along with healthy fats, fiber, and antioxidants.
• raw sunflower seeds: Sunflower seeds add a mild nutty flavor and even more healthy fats!
• raw pumpkin seeds: Pumpkin seeds offer a slightly earthy flavor and more texture.
• hemp hearts: Hemp hearts are a great source of plant-based protein and healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
• coconut oil: Coconut oil binds the ingredients together, helps achieve a crispy texture when baked, and adds subtle coconut undertones.
• pure maple syrup: Maple syrup acts as a natural sweetener and binder, giving the granola a touch of sweetness and helping it crisp up while baking.
• kosher salt: Salt enhances the flavors of the nuts and seeds and balances out the sweetness of the maple syrup. Feel free to use sea salt if that’s what you have on hand. 

See the full recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts. 

Secrets to Success

4 crucial secrets that will make all the difference in this granola recipe.

1. Pulse the larger nuts and coconut flakes so they are the same size as the seeds. This way everything will roast evenly at the same time. And you’ll get perfect bites! I personally don’t love huge hunks of nuts in my granola, but instead, oat-size chunks of nuts and seeds (without the oats of course!)
2. Make sure all the nuts and seeds you’re using are RAW! You don’t want to use nuts that are roasted and/or salted. We’re going to be roasting everything in the oven and seasoning it ourselves, and if it’s already roasted it will get too bitter. I prefer raw sliced almonds over whole almonds for an easier chew. But whole almonds or slivered almonds would work too if that’s what you have.
3. Spread the granola into an EVEN layer. That way it will roast evenly. You don’t want the middle to be too thick and the edges to be too thin. If that happens, the middle won’t get roasted enough and the edges will burn too quickly.
4. Do NOT stir the granola while it is roasting. Leave it spread in a big layer, then let it cool completley for at least 10 or 15 minutes. This will give you those glorious granola clusters that I love so much. When the mixture is cooling is when it firms up and gets the crispiest. Once it is cooled, you can pick up the whole thing and break it into the chunk sizes you desire. Nothing more satisfying than picking up a huge slab of granola and getting a big CRACK as you split it!

Recipe Tips

• Nut Choice: This combo of nuts and seeds is my favorite. But feel free to substitute other nuts you have like walnuts or cashews. The goal is for all of the nuts, seeds, and coconut chips or flakes to be chopped to roughly the same size. Makes for great clusters and even roasting.
• Use RAW Nuts: I want to emphasize again it’s best if you use all raw nuts that have not been roasted or salted yet. If they’ve already been roasted, they will get bitter if you keep roasting them. 
• Chia Seeds: I tried this with chia seeds instead of hemp hearts. It was good and another great source of fiber. But the chia seeds tend to get stuck in my teeth which drives me crazy. So I prefer hemp hearts. But use chia seeds if you like them more.
• Spices: I love this super simple with just maple syrup and kosher salt. But this would be so yummy if you added in cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, or apple pie spice. Feel free to add in 1/2 a teaspoon of a spice you like.
• Oil: This works best with coconut oil since coconut oil hardens at room temperature. Will help you with those granola clusters I love so much.
• Sweetener: I prefer the taste of maple syrup in my granola, but you could use honey instead! The same amount. I wouldn’t recommend a granular sweetener like coconut sugar, cane sugar, or brown sugar. You need the wetness of the liquid sweetener to help the granola stick together. You could possibly substitute Lakanto monk fruit maple syrup if you want this to be even lower carb. I haven’t tested this but it should work.

Serving Tips

There are so many ways to use this recipe! Whether for easy breakfasts or a healthy snack. Here are some of my favorites:

• In these Pumpkin Protein Cheesecake Bowls
• On top of this Coconut Yogurt with fresh fruit like berries
• As a breakfast snack alongside my Homemade Cold Brew or French Press Coffee
• Slather the larger pieces with a little peanut butter almond butter
• Make it a cereal with a little almond milk
• Add it to the top of keto ice cream
• On top of a smoothie bowl

Storage Tips

Store this grain free granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, if not longer.